Material to be applied in Maui burn zone to stop contaminated run-off

David Douglas
Sat, August 19, 2023 

LAHAINA, Hawaii — With more of the burn zone searched each day, the charred black earth and ash will soon turn pink as a “water-based glue” is applied to prevent winds and rain from kicking it up and running off into the ocean.

The biodegradable, non-toxic material known as a “soil tackifier” will begin being applied by workers for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency incident response team in the coming days, using water trucks that will spray the material from hoses, an official with the agency said.

The process will not begin until the search and rescue operation is deemed complete, said Steve Calanog, Incident Commander for EPA Region 9 which covers Hawaii. As of Friday night, about 78% of the burn zone had been searched, county officials said.

At least 114 people have been confirmed dead in the wind-fueled wildfire that swept across the historic town of Lahaina.

Officials have said a number of toxic substances, including lead, asbestos and arsenic have likely contaminated the burn area after the fire moved through burning at extremely high temperatures. The move was intended to prevent the movement of potentially dangerous contaminants, calling it an “utmost precaution," Calanog said.

Unique conditions led to the decision, he said. The proximity to the ocean and leeward winds, which gust strongly most afternoons, contributed to the EPA, the state of Hawaii, and Maui County agreeing to the plan.

“It’ll be dyed pink,” Calanog said. "Once it’s applied and dried it’ll be visually obvious that we’ve gone through.”

As they do, workers will be also looking to remove household hazardous waste, which can include compressed gas cylinders, solvents, pesticides, and in some cases, radiologic sources.

The EPA says the glue has not been used extensively on other wildfires. It's environmentally safe, naturally breaking down after about six months or if physically disturbed by people walking on it.

A material safety data sheet for the brand, Soiltac, identifies the soil stabilizer as presenting no risk to human health and not being flammable, according to the U.S. Hazardous Materials Identification System.

Calanog called the EPA’s response to the fire “emotional” and “solemn."

“The cultural and historic significance of Lahaina is huge,” Calanog said. “We do this in a way that honors and respects the traditions of the State of Hawaii.”

This article was originally published on NBCNews.com